Curtis Withers leaving London Lightning

It’s supposed to be a good thing when you players head off to bigger and better things.

But it means having to find a replacement and for the second time in less than a week the London Lightning had to do just that.

Days after forward Jason Forte was released so he could make more money in France, the Lightning allowed big man Curtis Withers to sign a big money contract in South Korea.

He will not play in the New Year’s Day game at 2 p.m. against the Windsor Express.

Lightning management has always said they will not stand in the way of a player who gets a better deal. That’s possible now because the Lightning still have time to find another player. Once the deadline for player movement is over the Lightning will play with what they have.

That deadline is in mid-February.

“We’re going to wait and see what comes up,” said Lightning general manager Taylor Brown. “We want to make sure we have players now that are committed until the end of the season.

“But the offer was just too good to pass up.”

The Lightning hoped that Withers would give them an inside presence. He played four games for the Lightning averaging 14 minutes and almost nine points a game.

Lightning coach Micheal Ray Richardson said after Forte left that one of the reasons the National Basketball League of Canada exists is to give players a chance at playing and moving up in basketball.

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